The Council launched a consultation on the DCS today. It has set out proposals to divide the borough into four zones with separate residential rates. For Zone 1, which covers the northern part of the Borough including Richmond, the proposed rate is £210 per sq m. For Zone 2, which covers the western part of the Borough including Surbiton, the proposed rate is £130 per sq m.
Zone 3 covers the eastern part of the Borough including New Malden and is subject to a proposed rate of £85 per sq m. Zone 4 covers the southern part of the Borough including Chessington and is subject to a proposed rate of £50 per sq m.
Care homes and retirement housing would be charged at a rate of £50 per sq m within Zones 1 and 2 and at a rate of £20 per sq m within Zones 3 and 4. A draft rate of £20 per sq m has been set to apply to extra care housing across the borough, with a draft rate of £220 to apply to student housing.
For retail developments, the Council has proposed to charge convenience based supermarkets and superstores as well as retail warehousing at a borough-wide rate of £200 per sq m. All other types of retail development are subject to a draft rate of £200 per sq m within Kingston Town Centre and of £20 per sq m across the rest of the borough.
A draft £20 rate applies to all other types of use with the exception of public services and community facilities which will be subject to a nil rate levy.
The proposed residential rates remain the same as those proposed in the Council's preliminary draft charging schedule (PDCS), which it consulted on last year. The retail rates have been reduced from the previously proposed £250 per sq m and the draft student housing rates have been increased from the £50 set out in the PDCS. The separate rates for care homes, retirement housing and extra care housing are new.
The consultation will be open for responses until 21 February. The Council said it hopes to adopt its charging schedule next winter.
